Nevermor

by Lani Lenore

  This was not how the battle was supposed to happen, nor was it how it usually played out. Rifter had never been so beaten down by his enemy – by anything he’d faced in this world! He was typically able to paint himself with victory. This time, the lines of blood drawn across his body were his own.

  The Scourge made another attempt, but Rifter did not intend to be hit again, twisting himself in the air to keep clear. He flipped upright as the blood from his leg dripped on the planks, taking flight to hold himself up, hovering a mere fraction of height over the deck. That seemed good enough for the dark man. His effort with the whip stopped.

  "There you are. You’re ready to face me like a man. Though on second thought, you might as well surrender to me this time. You won't ever kill me unless you stop fearing me, and we both know that will never happen."

  At that, the Scourge began to grow, rising up and changing forms until he was clearly no longer a man. He was a towering giant, caught halfway between being a man and a monster.

  “Why do you think you can beat me?” he asked, his voice deepening as he spread out and shifted to become a horrific black beast, full of jagged teeth and wicked eyes “You won’t even accept the truth. How can you hope to defeat your fear?”

  Rifter tried to tell himself that he wasn’t afraid. His family was safe and he had nothing to lose, but he couldn’t quite put it away. Somehow he must have known that it was his own fear that was giving the man power, but he couldn’t shake it. There was a hint in his subconscious that insisted that this was the thing he was most afraid of.

  And you have to face it alone. You’re all alone now.

  He stood his ground as the nightmare fiend grew bigger, his leg aching and his head swimming with doubt. So many red eyes were watching him, judging his faults.

  The Scourge had spoken of other brothers – real brothers. Was it true? Had he abandoned them as the man had said? What about the other boys who had died because of him? Was he responsible? Guilty?

  Maybe I deserve death…

  Staring at his nightmare, he felt a bit of weight settle on his shoulder, saw a flicker of light, and then there were whispers in his ear – a secret just for him.

  “Where is that boy I know?” the fairy asked. “You’ve never been alone. No one has ever left you. I have always been with you – since that first day – and I will never leave you alone. You may be standing here by yourself, but we’re all with you. Now fight!”

  She’s right.

  The others were behind him, even though they weren’t here presently. It was his duty to be strong – to face his own fear and conquer it once and for all.

  Rifter was without his sword, but his enemy’s would work just the same to kill him. He stared at the monster – determined. He knew what he had to do and he would not back down. He would do it for the world, for his brothers, for the girl that he loved, but most of all, he would do it for himself.

  Whisper was with him, and she was the only one that he needed. She was the light that had always guided him through the darkness, and she would do the same for him now.

  The fairy walked the length of the sword, putting what was left of her power into the blade. To be so weak, darkness surrounded her little heart and she fell unconscious in Rifter’s hand. He tucked her inside his coat so that she would be safe, but the sword was glowing with her power, and he had to act now or he would lose his chance.

  He took to the air, sailing over the deck and toward the large smiling maw of the nightmare which had now become so large that it had begun to spill over the edges of the ship, becoming the ship. Though it was the largest, most hideous thing he had ever seen, he no longer felt afraid. This was a show of power, but it would not work the way his enemy had intended.

  It was a man that Rifter feared, after all. Not a beast.

  Rifter stabbed downward with the blessed sword, and because the Scourge had grown so large, he could not dodge it. The light pierced the darkness, breaking it apart, and the large mass of the Scourge’s nightmare body began to shatter. It fell away in chunks as it cracked and split like black glass. The shadow cloud beneath the ship began to dissipate, no longer able to hold the vessel up. The ship was going down.

  Beneath the sword, the beast became like a man once again. Rifter looked into his adversary’s eye, and for the first time, he saw himself there. He was older, scarred, his hair dyed black, but the Scourge’s face was his own. Despite seeing this, Rifter understood that he would never have to be that. That was part of his old life. The reason he’d come to Nevermor was so that he wouldn’t have to fear this fate. He wouldn’t waste another moment fearing it!

  He watched his enemy as they fell down through the air into the volcano. Rifter knew he had to see the man die this time. He had to seal that knowledge away and remember it.

  “Do you think this will kill me for good?” the Scourge choked past the blood that filled his lungs as the blade remained, piercing his chest. “All you’ll have to do is dream me up again, and I’ll be back. I won’t ever be gone for good. Like the fairy said, I’m always with you!”

  Rifter didn’t say anything, but twisted the sword roughly in the man’s chest, watching him wince. The Scourge chuckled as black blood ran from the corners of his mouth and eyes.

  “It’s not over,” he promised, but Rifter had heard enough. The heat was too intense for him, and if he hesitated any longer, he would be burned. He wished he could have seen his enemy into the lava pit to make sure that he was fully consumed, but he had to retreat.

  Pushing himself off the deck, Rifter shot into the air and away from the heat as the ship splashed down into the lava, erupting in flame.

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  1

  The lava that had flowed down from the high mountain cooled instantly as soon as the Scourge and his ship had been submerged. The army of mimics vanished mid-battle, leaving the Pack and the Tribals looking bewildered, standing there with nothing but the muggy volcanic air around them. The island was stricken with a rain of ash that fell for hours afterward, covering everything in gray powder, but that was not the only rain that fell.

  Wren cried bitter tears for her fallen brother. She couldn’t even appreciate the fact that the rest of them had come back alive, or that the Scourge had been defeated another time. She was drained, not knowing what to do with herself. She felt very alone.

  The boys had all looked on at her with sadness, feeling especially low. They had dealt with death before, but it hurt their hearts to see her so affected by it. Even the fairy had eventually taken pity on her, at Rifter’s persuasion. Whisper had taken part of the girl’s memory so that she could no longer remember seeing her brother die. This had been done against Wren’s will, but they all agreed she was better for it. She didn’t need that image to haunt her.

  Max didn’t ask about Henry. It was almost like he had already forgotten that he’d ever had a brother. For once, Wren hadn’t wanted to be near the younger boy. She had kept away from him, and so it was the twins who took him on as the group prepared to leave the natives’ camp and seek their own refuge.

  Calico hadn’t wanted the boys to leave on such terms. She’d hoped that it would lead to a lasting truce between their clans, but she had not said anything against it, especially since Rifter had not shown any more interest in her. He had kept his focus on Wren, even though the pale girl had little to say to any of them.

  Rifter and his Pack went back to the beach to camp. Perhaps it was not the safest place, but they had few options now. From the sandy shore where the water rolled in calmly, the island didn’t look as though it had been tortured or burned. They could pretend, for a while, that nothing had happened. The boys even began to think that there might be something to go home to – perhaps all had not been lost to the fire.

  “Maybe the fire only burned the trees,” Finn suggested, looking back toward the forest where their home had once been.

  “Do you really think so?” Toss asked hopefully. He was willing
to believe it if the rest of them were.

  “No matter what, there are still things that we need to do,” Sly reminded them. “We have to pay attention. We have to make sure he stays dead, and we have to make sure that Rifter doesn’t forget this time.”

  They all agreed on this. From then on, they would try harder to protect Rifter from his dreams, and at least be certain he kept the knowledge of it. They would show him the cave where they had their secrets, and they would remind him of what was.

  “Do you think she’ll be alright?” Finn asked, changing his direction to look toward Wren, who had gone to stand at the edge of the sea.

  “She took a harsh blow,” Sly said. “What we’ve felt cannot be compared to what she feels. She remembers him from her old life.”

  “She’ll be able to handle it,” Nix affirmed, and they were all surprised to hear it from him. “She’s stronger than she was when she first came here. She’ll learn how to survive in this world yet.”

  “I hope you’re right.”

  Amongst themselves, they made plans to make the journey to etch Fang’s name in the cavern wall with the rest of the fallen. That was the last thing they could do to honor him. As for what would become of Wren, time would tell.

  2

  Wren had left the group to be by herself, unable to keep their company. She stood at the edge of the waves, wondering what was left for her. The calm wind blew through her hair, but she hardly felt it.

  What she had inside her heart was a pain that should not have been possible. To think: she had been insisting that Rifter have his memories back. Let him deal with them, she had said. It will do him good. It will make him a better person.

  How could she have said that? She was foolish and didn’t know anything at all, because all she wanted to do now was forget.

  She couldn’t say that she didn’t want to keep the good memories. She didn’t want to forget that her brother had existed. Despite their disagreements, there had been times when they’d gotten along, and he had given his life trying to save her. She didn’t want to forget that he was a hero. He didn’t deserve to be forgotten – just as those other boys who had given their lives needed to be remembered. But it hurt. It was like sharp knives inside her.

  She looked down at her shadow mimic, which stood loyally at her side. Perhaps it only did this because it was forced. It might have parted from her as well if it had been able.

  What is going to happen now? She wondered silently toward it. She was surprised when the shadow shrugged back at her.

  Wren was staring absently at the sand when she became aware of a presence behind her. She turned her head to see Rifter standing there, keeping away as if waiting to be invited. Whisper was drifting around him languidly, not quite as energetic as she had been before. The ordeal had taken a lot out of them all, it seemed.

  Wren tried to give him a brave smile, but it didn’t go as she’d planned. It fell just after it had come up and she wondered why she had made the effort at all.

  Taking it as an acceptance, Rifter approached her. She noticed how his leg had been injured, but he was not beaten by the pain. Perhaps he was not putting his weight on it as he appeared to be.

  He didn’t say anything at first when he had caught her eye, just pulled her into his arms and held her a moment. Her reaction was gradual as she put her arms around him, but once she had, she didn’t think she would be able to let him go. All she had wanted the entire time was to cry in his arms, but now that she had the opportunity, she couldn’t summon any more tears.

  “I’m sorry about your brother,” he said. “If I could have stopped it, I would have.”

  When he pulled back and looked into her eyes, she knew he was telling the truth.

  “He was the one who made me realize it,” she said vaguely. “You told me yourself, but it didn’t affect me at the time. Henry told me that there were things worth fighting for. That was something he learned from all of you. He believed it.”

  Rifter didn’t say anything as he watched her.

  “Henry believed in this place,” she went on. “He wanted to be here, and he fought for what he cared about. Even though he’s not here with me, I have to believe that he’s in a better place. I can’t hope for more than that. Maybe he’s better off where he is now.”

  Rifter nodded soberly, but still he kept quiet. She sighed and grew tranquil somehow, thinking of Henry finding his way to heaven and knowing that he would finally be safe.

  “If he finds his way back here, you will take him on, won’t you?” she asked, a single tear rolling down her cheek. “You’ll make sure he gets to the place where he belongs?”

  “Of course I will,” he promised, wiping her tear away.

  “And you have to promise me that you’ll remember what happened this time. If you forget, he might come back again. You faced your fear. You have to hold onto that.”

  “I will. I know that I have to.”

  They were silent a moment, as if he was afraid of what she would say if he led her on too far.

  “I want you to promise me something else.”

  “What’s that?” he asked, holding her close. She felt that he was being sincere.

  “Promise me I’ll forget this pain.”

  He brushed back her curls, nodding. “If that’s what you want, you will.”

  Wren wasn’t sure which was better anymore. Was it best to deal with impossible pain for the sake of a few good memories? Maybe it was easier to forget – maybe the only way to go on.

  “I don’t know what I want. I don’t want to forget, but yet I don’t know if I can live with it.”

  “I know that feeling,” he said with a sigh. “I made my choices about my past. You should make your own.”

  She looked into his eyes, and she could see that he had relented. He was no longer insistent on holding her to the Vow. He was reserved as he looked at her, looking shamed, even though he had conquered. Things were still not right with him, and it was because of her. She knew that. He still needed her acceptance – her forgiveness.

  “I’ll take you back if you still want to go.” He looked at the ground, afraid of seeing her face when she answered.

  Wren couldn’t believe how calmly he’d said that. It was the first time she was sure that he cared what she wanted. She threw her arms around his neck, and he embraced her with surprise. They held each other for a while without saying anything, but Wren knew what her answer was.

  “I don’t really want to leave you,” she said finally against his throat. “I suppose, maybe, I just wanted you to convince me otherwise.”

  “So, you do want to stay?” he asked, unfolding her with a hopeful expression.

  “There’s no life for me back there,” she said, knowing it to be the truth. But… “But there is something that I have to do first.”

  “Just say it,” he urged. “I’ll make sure that it happens.”

  Wren looked back toward where the others were gathered around the fire, focusing her eyes on her younger brother, who was dashing about, carefree in the midst of it all.

  “I don’t have a life back there, but Max does. He can grow up and things will be good for him. He’ll forget all of this and be happy. I have to make sure that he gets that.”

  Rifter looked disapproving, but he nodded. “You want to take him back.”

  “I need to make sure that he can still be adopted by that family. I don’t think the month has passed yet. Maybe it’s not too late.”

  Wren knew this went against everything that Rifter believed in, but how was it such a leap from what he had promised her?

  “How long do you need?” he asked, consenting.

  “A day or two, perhaps. You can come back for me soon. Just promise that you won’t forget about me,” she begged, looking at him with desperate need.

  “I might have forgotten a lot of things, but I could never forget you,” he swore, and she was glad to hear him say it. “When you come back, things will be different. Life will be
better, like it should be.”

  She let him kiss her, and felt some degree of comfort in that. She was at least convinced enough that he cared for her, and she would deal with the rest as time went on. There was no need to have him completely figured out in order to know that she loved him.

  There was plenty of time.

  3

  Rifter held Wren close, relieved enough that he could appreciate her willingness to stay. He wasn’t sure what to do with the things he had learned, but he knew that she could help him work past it. He needed her beside him, and whatever had been wrong between them could be fixed.

  Lifting his eyes, he looked out over the sea, watching the waves tumble in, listening to the ocean breathe. Perhaps there were dreamers out there in the distance, searching. Some of them might even find the island without being called, but he didn’t have to seek others. He had all that he needed here with him now – his family.

  He grasped Wren a bit tighter and closed his eyes against her hair. All along, he had known she was important. He had called her here not only because she needed an escape, but because he needed her. Without her, perhaps he would never have remembered. Now he had to swear that he would not forget.

  Silently, he thanked the sea. It had done a lot for him – assured that he wasn’t alone here. It had given him brothers; given him Wren. All of them that he had chosen were important. They were more than just companions. They were his lifeline.

  He owed it to them all to stay strong this time. The past was over and done. As long as he was focused, they would be behind him.

  He would try not to take that for granted.

  Chapter Forty

  1

  Not much had changed in London since Wren and her brothers had been gone. The factories were still billowing black smoke and children still marched to them daily. Of course the fog remained. Miss Nora’s Home for Wayward Children was still standing in the exact spot it had been left, and life there was not much different.